Touching Darkness
by SquireSam
Summary: Three friends, haunted by their troubled pasts, try to forget. But they will soon learn that forgetting isn't easy... because once you've touched darkness, there is no escaping it. AU. Ino x Kiba, Shikamaru x Shino, other minor pairings.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: Naruto and characters were created and belong to Masashi Kishimoto. **

**Rating: M/R (Language, Themes, Violence)**

**Pairings: Ino x Kiba, Shikamaru x Shino, other minor pairings.**

* * *

Darkness stretched across the sky, the pitch black of night enveloping empty streets. Wind powered through the trees, pulling bright green leaves and the scent of summer through the air. Bugs rustled and chirped, singing their songs from dew tipped grass, and a lone dog howled his sorrows in the distance.

A soft sigh escaped from parted lips. This would be the last time that she would lay eyes upon this town. She was absolutely sure of it. The thought, instead of bringing sadness, brought only hope. Never again would she feel inadequate. Never again would she drown in her despair. Never again would she live her life for anybody other than herself. Never again. She could already feel the weight from years of oppression beginning to lift and the bubbling of excitement replacing it. Another gust of wind whistled through the night, causing her long blonde hair to dance along her shoulders and her parted lips to pull into a small smile as she breathed in deeply. She couldn't help but feel as if this moment were perfect. She would remember this night, this breeze, this feeling for the rest of her life.

The sound of a car door slamming brought her out of her thoughts and she turned. The broad shoulders, long limbs and disheveled sandy brown hair of her longtime friend greeted her, his haunted eyes peering down at her small form. His light colored jeans and white button down shirt, rolled up to the elbows, stood out against the dark background. He rested his large hand on the open trunk door of his large red SUV as he studied her. "Is that everything, Ino?"

Doing a mental check list and satisfied that everything was accounted for, she replied "Yeah, Choji. That's everything."

He nodded and softly clicked the trunk shut, his eyes leaving her to search their surroundings until they landed on what he was searching for. Ino followed his gaze and gently laughed to herself. She strolled past Choji, across the street, onto the embankment and stared down at the lithe male form laying upon the grass. Long powerful legs clad in black pants lay flat against the earth while strong arms hidden by an equally black hoodie lay folded beneath his head. Dark brown hair was pulled up high, eyes closed and a cigarette was balanced precariously on his lips, smoke billowing softly around him. His image was the epitome of relaxed… but after years of knowing the man at her feet, she knew otherwise. The hard, thin line of his pressed lips and barely noticeable downward tilt of his brow gave him away. He was stressed, caught up in his thoughts, and just as ready as she was to leave this town behind.

The crunch of footsteps behind them caused Ino to cast a glance over her shoulder and one lazy eyelid to lift as they both watched Choji approach and settle beside them. There was a moment of silence between the three as they stared at one another. The silence continued to stretch between the friends, all three knowing that once the silence was broken, so too would be their ties to the past. All three knowing that this was a deciding point, that once the last step of this decision fell into place, there would be no turning back. All three knowing that it wasn't uncertainty, remorse, or fear that kept them quiet, but their determination to move forward. The trio remained silent because they were basking in the moment, drinking in the details, focusing on each other. Leaving nothing to be forgotten.

Choji inhaled deeply, held the air in his chest, and then loudly exhaled, effectively breaking the silence. He bent forward and offered his large hand, cigarette smoke floating up into his face but ignoring it. "It's time, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru's one open eye regarded Choji's hand only briefly before reaching up and grasping it, pulling himself up off of the ground. He patted his hands against his legs and back, dusting off any last remnants of grass. He gave a small grimace as his clothes clung damply to him. He took one last long drag from his cigarette, pulled it from his lips, and dropped it onto the ground. His brown eyes met Choji's dark orbs before locking onto Ino's light blue ones. He held her gaze as he slowly blew out the smoke from his lungs and lifted his boot, brutally smothering out the cigarette, the red embers crushing into wet soil. When the last of the smoke left him, his thin lips quirked into a frown and he said "Good. Let's get the fuck out of here."

* * *

**OK! This is my first posting ever. I am insanely proud… and insanely terrified. Please review and critique. I am definitely interested in what you guys think and am open to suggestions to make my writing style better for everybody. :} This story, in my mind, is going to turn into a multi-chap.**


	2. To Burritos!

**Disclaimer: Naruto and characters were created and belong to Masashi Kishimoto. **

**Rating: M/R (Language, Themes, Violence)**

**Pairings: Ino x Kiba, Shikamaru x Shino, other minor pairings.**

* * *

"If I don't get out of this car _tonight_, I am going to die" Ino groaned, rubbing her oily hands down her ragged face. Her ass was numb, her breath could kill, and she was relatively sure that if she ran her finger down her arm, it would leave a trail in its wake. She inwardly debated if writing 'wash me' across her skin would make her feel any better. Probably not.

"If you don't stop bitching, I'll put you out of our misery myself" Shikamaru snapped. He ran a hand tiredly through his shoulder length hair, having pulled it down earlier to ease the migraine that was building behind his bleary eyes. His fingers itched for a nicotine fix he couldn't have and he puffed out a sigh, glancing apologetically at Ino from his perch in the backseat. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I really need a cigarette."

Ino hummed her acceptance and tried to stretch out her legs, to no avail. The front seat was restricting when it came to leg room. She closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the head rest in defeat. They had been trapped in that car for four days, not counting the entire days drive it took them to get there. Four. Days. Four days with no bed, no showers, no space, no** freedom **from **each other**… needless to say, nerves and patience were wearing thin.

A small giggle escaped from Ino and although she couldn't see Shikamaru, she could practically feel his curiosity. She lifted herself back up and angled herself to meet his gaze, her feet moving to rest in the empty driver's side seat while an amused smirk lifted her features into something that Shikamaru hadn't seen there in a long time – happiness. Unintentional flirtation ghosted along her lips and mischief danced in her eyes. It gave Shikamaru a small ray of hope. They hadn't even been gone from that hell hole one week and already there were signs of the old Ino radiating back to life. It was small, but it was there. It was a welcome sight. If Ino could get herself back, maybe they all could. Maybe they really could be happy here. It made Shikamaru, migraine and all, return her smirk in earnest.

"You know," she began with laughter evident in her tone, "after all that planning, we still found a way to be complete and total fuck ups. I mean, after **years** of saving and secrets and lies, **years **of dreaming of new lives and futures, _**years of thinking out every little detail**_... we forgot one of the most important details of all. We forgot to call ahead for an apartment!" By the end, Ino was clutching her stomach tightly and peals of laughter were echoing throughout the car.

Shikamaru chuckled quietly, his amusement drowned out by Ino's laughter. "Yeah," he drawled. "That's us alright. Ino-Shika-Cho, team fuck up." He waved his hand in the air as if to further emphasize his point.

A soft click sounded and Choji opened the driver's side door, catching Ino's laughter and the end of Shikamaru's amused reply. He gently tapped Ino's feet with a rolled up newspaper and she moved them to their proper spot, making room for Choji to slide into the car and shut his door behind him. "So, whose team fuck up?" he questioned. His usually empty eyes held a hint of curiosity and joy at seeing his friends enjoying themselves.

"We are!" Ino exclaimed, her figure shaking in mirth. "We are the definition of homeless. Any longer in here and I might be debating the pros and cons of a cardboard box!"

"I would gladly take a box right now just to keep from wallowing in our own stench," Shikamaru muttered sarcastically, his eyes bright with contained cheer.

"Ah," Choji tut-tutted, quickly getting wrapped up in the happy moment. "And here I thought I had some good news, but if you guys are really that into living in a box…" he trailed off with mock innocence, letting his rolled newspaper dangle between Ino and Shikamaru. "I guess I will just need to throw this away."

"No!" "Don't you dare!"

The two replies shouted loudly together, filling the car with their rebuttal. A faint blush brushed across Shikamaru's nose and he rubbed the back of his neck, immediately embarrassed with his uncharacteristic outburst. Ino, on the other hand, had no such qualms and snatched the newspaper out of Choji's hand, yanking it open forcefully to scour for Choji's 'good news'.

Choji snorted at his friends and shook his head jovially. He opened his mouth to tease Shikamaru about his new shade of pink, but Ino's loud gasp cut him off. The boys both looked in her direction. Ino slowly set the paper down in her lap and as she looked up at them, unshed tears were evident in her eyes. "They finally have an opening?"

Choji gave a genuine smile and nodded, turning back towards Shikamaru in time to catch relief flash across his face. Choji's smile grew a little wider, his own excitement showing as he dug his keys out of his pocket and shoved them into the ignition. He cast one last look at Ino and Shikamaru before smirking and starting the car. "Shall we?"

* * *

The apartment manager's office was plain. It had walls that should have been white but were now yellowing from years of cigarette smoke while a calendar that couldn't be described as anything other than pornographic hung from the wall, the breasts of Miss July spilling out of her top. The centered desk was worn and weathered, a plaque reading _A. Sarutobi _glinting harshly in the office lighting. Off to the side on a forgotten end table sat a game of shogi, the pieces laying randomly across the board. All in all, the entire scene was very stereotypical in Ino's opinion. The only things that didn't belong were the luscious, vibrant plants in the corner and the skeptical frown on the manager's face as he repeated "No."

"What do you mean, no?" Shikamaru scowled, the irritation they all were feeling crawling into his voice. They had been back and forth like this since they sat down in the office forty minutes ago. His nicotine craving was through the roof and the fact that this Sarutobi guy, besides repeatedly refusing them the only available three bedroom apartment in the city, was smoking like a chimney was putting him on edge.

Sarutobi sighed and roughly smothered out his cigarette in his ashtray and Shikamaru couldn't help but watch in a mixture of anger and temptation. He briefly wondered how badly it would ruin any chances they have left if he just yanked the cigarette butt out of the tray and finished off the last few centimeters. Choji snickered beside him, clearly catching the look of longing in his eyes.

"Look, you seem like nice enough kids, but let's be real here. Your credit is exceptional… but none of you have jobs. You can't expect me to rent out an apartment to someone who can't pay the bills."

"Sir," Ino began pleadingly, "we understand that renting to us would be a gamble, but we are worth the risk. Please just give us a chance. We can't get a job without an address to put down and we start college next week. We can't really better ourselves from the backseat of a car. Our future kinda depends on you saying yes."

Sarutobi gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Blondie. I love gambling as much as the next guy," Shikamaru's eyes flicked over to the shogi board as he said this, "but I can't stick my neck out for you on this. I feel for you guys, I do, but this is a business. I need to rent to someone I can make money off of."

Choji opened his mouth to try and further convince him, but Sarutobi cut him off. "I am serious here, kids. I can't rent to you. Come back when you have an income and we can talk."

"But we can't get an **income** without a job and we can't get a **job **without an **address** to put on the **applications**," Choji ground out, repeated Ino's earlier statement. He usually had the patience of a saint but it seemed that four days of sleeping in a car had its limits even for him.

Sarutobi shrugged indifferently and began working on the papers sitting at his desk, effectively telling them that this meeting was over. Choji's hands gripped the sides of his chair so hard that his knuckles turned white, trying to rein in his anger at the situation. Ino sighed dejectedly, a familiar pout working its way into her bottom lip, and she began to gather her purse to leave. Shikamaru cast one last look at the shogi board, decided to take a leap of faith, and cleared his throat to get the managers attention.

"Do you play?" Shikamaru inquired.

A flash of irritation and curiosity flitted across Sarutobi's face. "Beg your pardon?"

"Shogi. Do you play?"

"Ahh," Sarutobi smiled, the first real smile he gave since their meeting began. "Yes. It's a favorite of mine, although I usually just play against myself. The friends aren't really a fan."

"I'll play you… if you care to make it interesting," Shikamaru stated, leaning further back into his chair. Ino stifled a small gasp and Choji's mouth dropped open in shock. They both tried to school their faces into indifference, but couldn't. Shikamaru wasn't… was he?

Sarutobi's right brow raised high as he assessed Shikamaru. "Interesting how?"

"If I win, you rent the apartment to us. We will give you first and last month's rent in advance… and if we don't have jobs within one week of signing the lease, you can kick us out, no refunds."

Sarutobi's left brow raised to meet his right, his expression one of astonishment. "And if I win?"

"Then we will give you the money for the first and last for you to keep. We will leave and not bother you again. Either way, its win/win for you. What do you say, Sarutobi?"

Sarutobi became silent as he inwardly debated the option, his fingers smoothing over the stubble on his chin. Ino hid her grin behind her hand while the fingers on her other hand crossed in the sign of wishful thinking and good luck. She silently begged to any and every deity she could think of. _Please, please_, _please say yes. _She cast a peek at Choji, who was having just as much trouble hiding his excitement and amusement. Shikamaru, however, just remained reclined in his seat, looking as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Sarutobi scratched his cheek thoughtfully and assessed Shikamaru one last time before sticking his hand out and over his desk in Shikamaru's direction. Shikamaru smirked and leaned forward, gripping Sarutobi's hand in his own.

"You got yourself a deal, kid."

* * *

Sarutobi watched dazedly as they slid their key into the apartments slot and swung the door open wide. His face was permanently stuck with the expression of disbelief and kept casting furtive glances in Shikamaru's direction. After a quick tour of the three bedroom/two bath apartment, he gave them their papers, reminded them of their agreements to find jobs, and turned to leave.

"Oi, Sarutobi," Shikamaru called towards the door. The manager turned and gave him an inquisitive look. "Thanks for standing by your agreement even when you didn't have to. And thanks for giving us a chance." Shikamaru gave a smile so soft, his lips didn't seem to move at all. One second there was a tilt of his lips, the next it was gone.

Sarutobi chuckled and gave a small wave as he turned and walked out the door, throwing a reply over his shoulder. "It's Asuma. And don't make me regret it, kid."

After he left, it didn't take very long to move everything into their apartment. After all, all three of them fit everything they owned into one vehicle, which said something about how much they actually owned. Not a whole lot.

They had clothes, one pay-as-you-go phone between the three of them, and of course the necessities. They had no furniture, no dishes, nothing to make the apartment feel like home. And despite all of this, they were happy. For the first time in a very long time, they had a place where they belonged. So even if it was empty, it was home, and they loved it. The rest… it could come later. Later being when they had jobs and enough income to not worry about spending their savings.

Fresh from her scalding hot shower, Ino sat in her new bedroom, her legs crossed upon the hardwood floor. All of her clothes sat folded in the corner, her hair and make-up supplies spread out along the wall. She could hear her boys scuffling along other parts of the apartment and smiled. _Life couldn't get much better than this, _she thought. She had her friends, a home, and a soon to be education. She was ecstatic. And exhausted.

She leaned back, laying herself fully onto the ground, and placed her hands behind her head. Her eyes drifted closed as she let the entirety of the day sink in. Her lids grew heavier and heavier with each passing second and before she knew it, she was asleep.

A soft knock woke Ino from her light slumber and she peered groggily up at the door. Choji stood, looking down at her with a bag of Taco Bell in his hands. "Better hurry if you want to eat," he teased as he shook the bag and walked out of her doorway, down the hall and into the living room.

Ino knew better than to dawdle. Choji may be nice enough to announce that there was food, but he never told someone twice and he never waited. As far as he was concerned, after he told you once, the food was fair game.

Ino scrambled to her feet and ran into the living room, the promise of food energizing her. She plopped down roughly beside Shikamaru and yanked the unopened burrito from Choji's hand, responding to his curse of protest by sticking out her tongue. As she took the first bite, Shikamaru dug around in the brown bag at his side. Pulling out a pack of Angry Orchard, he handed one to Ino and Choji before twisted the top off of his own and taking a swig.

Ino stared at her bottle in awe before turning her awestruck eyes to Shikamaru. She couldn't believe he had spent extra money to buy them a drink when he couldn't even afford to splurge on cigarettes until he had a job secured. They had all three agreed not to splurge until they had things secure. Shikamaru noticed, already knowing what she was going to say, and shrugged. "I figured we should break in the new place."

"Ahh," Ino commented. With her smile in place, she twisted off her cap and held her drink between the three of them. "Then I propose a toast. Here is to second chances."

"To happy endings," Shikamaru added, holding his drink beside hers.

"To burritos," Choji chuckled, his drink the last to join the circle.

The three friends laughed and clinked their drinks together. "To burritos!" they exclaimed.

Together, they drank and ate and celebrated well into the a.m. They talked themselves into exhaustion and when they fell asleep, it wasn't in their new rooms, but in the middle of the living room floor with empty bottles and taco wrappers scattered around them.

* * *

Ino groaned as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. It was 8 am, and despite the early time, she was dressed for success. Well, as successful as a girl with not much to her name can be at least. She had on her only dress, a light lavender midsleeve ensemble that was tight on the chest and flowed freely around her knees, and her only pair of heels, black in color and inched high. She had decided to wear light make-up, not wanting to overdo it, and had left her straightened hair down to billow around the middle of her back. It wasn't much, but it was the best she could do on what she had. She just hoped it was enough.

She left her bathroom, the boys having decided earlier the previous day that she should have the master suite with adjoining bathroom for feminine privacy, and walked into living room. Her heels clicked loudly and sounded throughout the empty house. Choji and Shikamaru had already left to start their job search. She picked up her black purse from the floor, swung it over her shoulder, and took a deep breath. She held the air in her lungs as she pierced the front door with her gaze. Then, slowly exhaling and locking down a feeling of hope in her gut, she turned the knob and stepped outside to begin a job search of her own.

* * *

Choji had stumbled across a job rather easily, in his opinion. He had been walking the streets, applying to any open shop he could find, when he stumbled into a warm and inviting diner. The walls were lined in red, the booths plush and the aroma delicious. He walked up to the counter and began to inquire to a frazzled waitress when the double doors to the kitchen slammed open and an older aged man came barging out. "I don't get paid enough for this shit! I quit!"

The man slammed his apron down on the counter beside Choji, and with one final huff, he stormed out. The dark haired woman he was yelling at, the manager according to her name tag, blinked back tears of stress. Her unusual dark red eyes shifted from the kitchen to the door and back again.

"Um, excuse me?" Choji called, trying to grab the woman's attention.

The women simply ignored him and turned her panicked gaze to the waitress, a demand pouring from her lips. "Call Shinji and see if he can come in."

"He is on vacation this week," the frazzled waitress responded.

The women groaned and ran her shaking hands through her dark hair. "What are we going to do? We are in the middle of a rush and down a cook."

"Excuse me?" Choji called again. The women ignored him yet again, focusing her attention on the waitress.

"I can't handle this right now," the woman cried. "Do any of the waitresses know how to cook?"

The waitress shook her head in agitation and Choji sighed. He glanced down at the dirty apron lying beside his hand. Glanced at the women, back at the apron. His decision made, he took a deep breath to steel his nerves and grabbed the apron. He slung it over his neck, the dirty apron settling against his red t-shirt and khaki pants, and tied the strings behind his back as he charged into the kitchen. The sound of the kitchen doors slamming open finally caught the distraught manager's attention and she walked back into the kitchen, flabbergasted at the sight of a stranger with disheveled brown hair flipping burgers on the grill.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded curiously, hands on her hips.

Choji cast her a quick look over his shoulder and gave an apologetic smile as he plated the burgers and dinged the order bell. "What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked. "I'm applying."

* * *

Shikamaru hadn't had any luck job hunting. He had filled out his fair share of applications and all that was left was to wait for a call back and try again tomorrow. Now he sat perched on the staircase leading to their apartment, his head tilted back to enjoy the clouds that rolled across the sky. As the minutes ticked by and the clouds passed, Shikamaru allowed his eyes to close. The sun shining down left his black jeans and t-shirt feeling warm and his lids feeling drowsy.

"Nice day."

Shikamaru stiffened slightly and opened one eye, peering towards the voice that spoke. He mentally patting himself on the back for not jumping out of his skin. To his left sat an attractive long limbed male clad in jeans and a gray oversized hoodie, his glasses automatically tinting to accommodate the sun. A cigarette was balanced between his lips and Shikamaru eyed it enviously as the man lit the end with his lighter. The man raised one thin pierced eyebrow at Shikamaru and held out his open cigarette pack in question.

Shikamaru smirked as he pulled a cigarette from the man's pack. "Hell of a nice day," he drawled in agreement. He placed the cigarette between his lips and the other man leaned in, lighting his cigarette for him. Their eyes met briefly and Shikamaru had to force himself to look away, surprised by the intensity of the dark orbs hidden behind tinted lenses.

"I haven't seen you around here before. You new?" the man asked quietly, leaning back into his original position.

"Ah," Shikamaru agreed nonchalantly. "Just moved in. Third floor." He waved his hand in the general direction of the apartment.

The man showed a hint of recognition. "3-24?"

Shikamaru eyed the man warily. "How'd you guess?"

The man smiled as he exhaled, smoke cascading around the pair. "I'm 3-23. We're neighbors."

"Ah," Shikamaru commented again, relaxing as he enjoyed the taste of nicotine on his tongue. He offered his hand out to the male. "The name's Shikamaru."

The man grasped his hand firmly, sending a warm tingle up Shikamaru's arm, and gave a welcoming smile in return. "Shino."

* * *

As the day wore on, Ino wondered the city and stopped at every nook, cranny and shop she stumbled across, inquiring about positions and filling out applications. She never once took a break. She was so caught up in her search that she lost track of time. The sky was now dark, both from the time and the rain clouds that gathered over head.

Ino stepped out of the bar she had just applied at, a bar tending position open and promising, and stood on the side walk wondering where to go from there. She was relatively sure she had applied to at least thirty different places and was debating on whether to keep going or call it a night and continue tomorrow. The sound of drunken laughter, too close for comfort, brought her out of her inner debate and she turned in time to see a man stumble in her direction, waving his bottle around dangerously. His friends laughed from behind him.

"Hey, Blondie… you lookin' for a good time?" the drunken man slurred.

Ino stiffened as unease crept up her spine, knowing from experience not to reply, and began to walk in the opposite direction in a hurried pace.

"Hey, where you goin'? Doncha wanna be with a _real _man?" the man continued.

Ino clutched her purse tightly to her and speed up, fully intent on rounding the corner ahead and getting far away from that man and his friends. The further she got from him, the angrier he became, and he hollered on last obscene sentence at her as she neared the corner.

"You bitch! Your jussa _tease_, you know that?!"

Ino reached the corner, her legs burning from her power walk in heels, and she pushed just a little harder as she rounded it. Her speed carried her around the corner… and straight into the warmest, firmest wall she had ever felt. The impact forced her backwards and onto her ass, her head cracking against the asphalt. She moaned in pain, her hand lifting up to rub the back of her head.

"Fuck me," Ino muttered lightly, pain coursing through her body.

"Uh. Shouldn't I at least buy you dinner first?" a deep, rough male voice chuckled above her.

Ino opened her bleary eyes and stared up at the man. And stared. And stared. And stared. Good GOD, if all she ran into were men like the man standing in front of her, she would die a happy woman. Shaggy brown hair framed warm brown eyes, red triangular tattoos on each cheek dimpled by an amused grin, and tan skin covering every inch of available skin. Ino appraised the man in front of her, from his scuffed black boot all the way to his worn jeans and form fitting black shirt… and swallowed roughly. The man in front of her was stunning.

Said man smirked, obviously catching her staring, and knelt down. His elbows rested against his knees and shot a wolf-like grin at her. "Sorry about that. You ok, lady?"

Ino felt a blush crawl along her nose and nodded, replying softly. "Y-yeah. I think so anyway. Nothings damaged up here that wasn't already." Ino gently tapped her finger against her temple to show her point and the man above her gave a hearty laughed. His laugh raised heated goose bumps along her arms and she laughed as well, his cheer contagious. When their laughter died down into small chuckles and giggles, Ino dared to extend her hand to him. "I'm Ino, by the way."

The wolf-like grin spread back across his face and he took her hand in his large, callous one. "Kiba. Nice running into you, Ino."

* * *

**OK! Ch. 1 is officially redone and reposted. I definitely wanted to lay down the beginning framework for this story and I feel like things are starting to roll. Things will start picking up very soon. Ch 2 will hopefully be up by Monday. I am trying to set a goal to update at least twice a week.**

**Also, special shout out to nerdswagger62 for being the first to follow my story. I can't tell you how much it meant to me. Literally made my week and inspired me to push out bigger and better chapters. You are amazing.**


	3. You Are Something Else

**Disclaimer: Naruto and characters were created and belong to Masashi Kishimoto. **

**Rating: M/R (Language, Themes, Violence)**

**Pairings: Ino x Kiba, Shikamaru x Shino, other minor pairings.**

* * *

"So what's a girl like you doing out alone this late, anyway?" Kiba asked casually, his powerful frame leaning against the brick building behind him. He and Ino remained fixed in the exact location they had bumped into each other, around the corner of the bar Ino had earlier been dead set on escaping. She could still hear the drunkard and his friend's crude laughter ricocheting down the street, their slurred voices calling out to another passing girl.

After their introductions, Kiba had helped her to her feet and Ino had expected him to take his flirtatious smiles and leave. The damsel was minus one asphalt-induced concussion and his job was done. Instead, he had taken his position against the brick wall and was now staring at Ino, waiting for a reply.

"Job hunting," she sighed in explanation. "I'm new in town."

"Any luck?"

"Not at all. Your town is stingy with its positions."

Kiba's eyebrow quirked and he gave Ino a teasing wink. "My town may be stingy with positions, but that doesn't mean I am."

Ino knew her face was red before she felt it, the burning sensation spreading along her cheeks. This man hadn't even known her ten minutes and was already joking provocatively with her as if he had known her for years! And the way it rolled off his tongue, full of confidence and amusement… he had no doubts about his statement or prowess. Ino knew she should feel offended. Hell, if she were a normal girl, she probably would be. But growing up the way she did, with Shikamaru and Choji at her side, she had obtained a rather rude and manly humor of her own. Kiba's comment put Ino at ease and without a second thought, her mouth opened of its own accord. "Hate to break it to you, but left hand and right hand don't exactly count as positions."

Ino realized too late what she had said. Her blush became impossibly darker as she tried to keep her face amused instead of embarrassed and horrified. Which was exactly how she felt inside.

Kiba blinked owlishly at Ino, completely dumbstruck to the fact that a girl had both implied masturbation and schooled him in just one sentence. As his brain finally processed her statement, his head tilted back and deep, rough laughter erupted from his throat.

Ino giggled and let out a breath she was unconsciously holding.

"You are something else," Kiba chuckled. "So, Ino. Care to join me for a drink? I'll even keep my positions to myself." Kiba held his hands up in mock surrender.

A small rush of giddy pleasure washed through Ino. This man wanted to have a drink with her. HER. Little Ino with her insecurities and damaged soul. The thought made her swim with excitement even as she gave him an apologetic smile.

"I would love to… but I can't. I really should get home. I have another long day of job hunting ahead of me tomorrow."

"That's a shame," Kiba replied, looking genuine. "At least let me give you a ride home."

Ino began to protest profusely, not wanting to put him out. Instead of listening, Kiba stuck his fingers into the corners of his mouth and gave a shrill whistle. Not even two seconds later, a large yellow cab screeched to a halt beside them. Kiba grinned down at her. "You were saying?"

Ino's blush returned and she ducked her head in embarrassment, a soft thanks rolling off her tongue. She opened the cabs back door, climbed inside, and clicked the door shut behind her. She rolled her window down to thank Kiba once again only to see him handing money to the driver. "That's not necessary," Ino began.

"Consider it payment for that pretty little knot I put on the back of your head," Kiba snickered. He moved to her window and leaned his elbows against the frame, his head hovering just outside. "Plus, it's more for me than it is for you."

"How so?" Ino questioned, her head tilting to the side slightly.

"My heart just couldn't take seeing you walk away from me. Driving away seemed like the less painful option," Kiba grinned, his wolfish quality shining.

Ino beamed back at him as she returned his earlier statement. "You are something else."

Kiba's grin widened and he leaned forward, his face drawing dangerously close to hers. Ino's heart thundered in her chest and her eyes froze in an expression of shock. He lingered there, his nose almost brushing against hers, their breath mingling, before leaning further and turning his head. This caused his lips to brush against the shell of Ino's ear in an extremely teasing manner, his smirk evident in his tone. "Tomorrow, go to the corner of Raymond and Third. There's a shop there called _The Kunoichi_. Tell them Kiba sent you."

His voice, warm and confident against her ear, sent a small shiver down her spine. Kiba pulled away, giving Ino one last predatory smirk before slamming his hand down on the top of the cab. The cab began to slowly roll forward and Kiba walked backward, his hands shoving into his pockets. "See you around, Ino," he called. And with that departing note, he turned and disappeared around the corner.

Ino slunk down in her seat, her heart still beating erratically. The way he had leaned forward, she had thought he was going to kiss her. She had WANTED him to kiss her, a man she just met. Her ear was slightly damp from his warm breath murmuring against it. She lifted her hand and touched it gently, a soft smile gracing her. What if she had leaned forward and initiated a kiss? Could she be so bold? Could she-

A gravely cough brought her roughly out of her thoughts and she looked up to see the driver glaring at her through the rear view mirror. "Address, lady."

* * *

Choji put the last clean dish away and turned to view his hard work. The grease ridden kitchen he had forced himself into earlier that day now sparkled with cleanliness. Choji couldn't say the same for himself. His once tan khakis now seemed a dark brown and his red shirt now clung to him like a sweaty second skin. His usually airy brown hair lay flat against his skull, curling around his ears.

It was a hard, fast paced day full of ordering tickets and yells. Choji had loved every second of it. He had learned at a very early age that he had a love and passion for cooking. It didn't matter if it was diner food or five star, not that he had ever had the money to try. He just knew. When he felt the ingredients running through his fingers, when he sculpted something brilliant out of nothing… it was magic, and he was the magician.

He silently untied his apron and slipped it over his shoulders as he made his way through the kitchens double doors and into the diner. There the manager and closing staff stood waiting for him. The manager, named Kurenai now that he peered down at her name tag, was expressionless. Her red eyes eyed him up and down, trying to read him. Choji didn't know what to make of it and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck and held the apron out to her with his other hand. "I'm sorry for being so forward," he said, dark eyes meeting red.

Her eyes held his for what seemed like an eternity. Finally she broke contact and turned toward the door, intending to leave. Choji could literally feel his heart sinking within him with every step away she took.

"You forgot your apron," he called out to her back.

"No I didn't," came her quick reply. She stilled by the open door, talking without turning to see him, her voice floating out into the street. "Swing by tomorrow to fill out your paperwork and get a schedule set up. And pick up some black work pants. The ones you are wearing are making me depressed."

Choji remained silent and still, letting her words sink in. Kurenai finally turned back towards him and gave a beautiful smile, her red eyes lighting up for the first time that day. "Well, are you coming?"

Not even Choji himself could have stopped the ear to ear smile he gave her in return.

* * *

Choji had just stepped out of his shower, walking down the hallway in an old pair of gym shorts and a towel draped over his shoulders. His chest glistened in the hallways dim lighting, multiple faint scars running along the length of his torso and back. He shifted towards the living room when he heard the front door open. Ino stepped inside, her dress swinging around her knees and her heels hanging from her hand.

"Hey," Ino beamed. "How did today go?"

"I got a job. Place called Yuhi Diner. I'm the new cook."

"That's amazing, Choji! That is actually right up your alley," Ino giggled.

"I know," Choji agreed happily. "And how was your day?"

"No luck… but I met a guy," Ino smiled, shyly placing her hair behind her ear.

Choji's happiness instantly vanished and he looked long and hard at Ino, his gaze burning through her. "A guy?"

Ino sighed, smile still in place. "Yeah. It was kind of amazing, actually."

"Are…" Choji started, unsure how to broach the topic. "Are you sure you are ready for that kind of thing, Ino? I mean…" He groaned and rubbed his hand tiredly down his face. He really didn't know how to explain. He tried to begin again, but was stifled by Ino's laughter.

"Choji!" Ino exclaimed, laughing as she slightly slapped his shoulder. "Quit being so over protective. Besides, I doubt I'll see him again." She passed him with the intent to go to her bedroom, but made a split decision and slung her arms over Choji's shoulders. Choji muttered to himself and patted Ino's back, her hugs nothing new to him. She pulled back and gave him a grin. "Thanks for caring, Choji. Really."

She gave him one last friendly shoulder pat and continued on to her room. As she got to her door, Choji called out to her. "Ino… we are going to be ok, aren't we."

It didn't sound like a question, but more like a statement. Ino knew what he was asking.

"Our souls are cracked, Choji. But they aren't broken. We started healing a long time ago. So… yes, we are going to be ok."

With that final statement, Ino shut her door and prepared for bed.

* * *

_Shikamaru eyed the scene from his hidden spot beneath a low riding table. There was an old weathered Shogi board laying on the floor. Usually Shogi brought Shikamaru peace to his rampant mind, like a tranquilizer to a wild beast. But not today._

_The board lay cracked and askew, the pieces scattered hazardously around the disheveled room. There was crashing and screaming, the distinct sound of a small girl screaming for her father piercing the air. The screams were getting louder and fiercer, her terrified voice ringing in his ears until there was a loud thump and the screaming ceased. _

_Shikamaru's heart beat loudly in fear. The sound of footsteps drew perilously close to the table, Shikamaru's eyes landing on a wide pair of boots crunching down on top of an open bag of chips. Male voices bellowed and cursed, but the words couldn't be distinguished in Shikamaru's ears. A set of large, thick fingers wrapped around the underside of the table and Shikamaru steeled himself, his legs tensing. There was a violent jerk and suddenly, Shikamaru was no longer hidden, his table flipping over to crash into the wall. _

_Shikamaru darted past the towering man, his head barely reaching the man's knee, and ran, the muscles in his legs pushing as hard as they could. He didn't get far. A large meaty hand gripped the hair on top of his head and pulled him back roughly, throwing him to the ground. Shikamaru crashed onto the weathered Shogi board, a lone piece cutting deeply into his forehead, drawing blood. Shikamaru jerked himself up to try and run, to no avail. The last thing Shikamaru saw before being encased in darkness was a blood covered Shogi piece, a scream ripping from his lips._

"_NO!"_

"**NO!**" Shikamaru screamed, bolting up right from his bedroom floor. The room was dark and silent save for his violently beating heart and Shikamaru began to panic before realizing where he was.

He released a shaky breath and caught his head in his hands. Loud stomping bombarded the quiet apartment. Shikamaru looked up in time to see his bedroom door swing open, a disheveled Choji and sleep rumpled Ino silhouetted in the doorway, concern etched on their faces.

"Nightmare," Shikamaru's raspy voice explained.

Ino and Choji nodded in understanding, leaving his doorway to return to their rooms. The seconds ticked by and soon he could hear their footsteps returning, pillows and blankets in hand. They placed their bedding on either side of him and settled in, their arms carefully brushing against his to let him know they were there.

"Was it the one with the deer?" Ino yawned, her voice again heavy with sleep.

Shikamaru made a noise of disagreement.

"Was it about home?" Choji inquired warily. The nightmares about home were often things for all three of them. That house and that man would likely haunt them for the rest of their lives.

"Nah," Shikamaru replied, eager to not linger on the thought of home. "It was the one with the Shogi board."

"Mm," Ino intoned. "It's been a while since you've had that one."

Shikamaru hummed his agreement. His muscles were still tense and his mind was racing. He felt a small hand wrap gently around his wrist and a larger one place gently against his arm, letting a calm feeling wash over him. They usually had this effect over him. His muscles slowly untensed and his mind began to slow to a crawl. As the minutes ticked by, his breathing evened out to match the sleeping forms beside him. His eyes grew heavy and he fell back into a slumber.

This time, Shikamaru didn't dream at all.

* * *

Ino was having terrible luck with finding a job. It was her second day searching and what places she hadn't already applied to weren't hiring. The day was scalding hot, heat radiating up from the sidewalks, and it made Ino's clothes stick against her skin. She had learned her lesson from yesterday and today her aching feet were secured into an old ratty pair of black converse. Her legs were clad in a pair of jeans and a flowing blue shirt hung limply around her tiny frame, the bodice modest and sleeves hanging open freely to expose her lean tanned arms.

They day had slowly passed her by and with nowhere left to apply to, she let her legs drag her around leisurely. She hadn't realized where she had unconsciously walked back to until she noticed the corner from last night. She smiled even as she groaned inwardly. Twenty minutes with that man, Kiba, and she was hung up. She couldn't get his grin, his eyes, and his odd tattoos out of her mind. Flashes from last night tormented her. She needed to get a grip.

She turned to leave the corner and her borderline creepy infatuation behind, when a bright yellow cab drove by, triggering another Kiba filled thought to shoot through her. His voice, warm and tantalizing, caressing her ear.

"_Tomorrow, go to the corner of Raymond and Third. There's a shop there called The Kunoichi. Tell them Kiba sent you."_

Huh. The Kunoichi. Should she go? Should she trust him? The place sounded rough and intimidating, much like Kiba himself. It could be a total nightmare, a big mistake, a dangerous decision…

"Excuse me, sir?" Ino asked, getting the attention of the man walking towards her. "Could you point me in the direction of Raymond and Third?"

The Kunoichi wasn't at all what Ino had expected. The building, connected on either side by small shops, was a quaint little brick building, its dark purple with pink outlined title jutting proudly from its roof. Mannequins sat dressed in the window, the styles unique but adorable, girly but not too girly at the same time. Exactly Ino's style. She fell in love immediately.

The glass door, open sign hanging, jingled loudly as she entered. Racks of clothes stretched out before her of all variety and color. Large posters of beautiful women lined the brick walls, each dressed to the nines and the strong aroma of pumpkin spice filled the air. Ino immediately decided is she ever got lost in here, she never wanted to be found. It was heaven.

"Welcome to The Kunoichi," a peppy female voiced called out. Ino turned towards the voice and took immediate notice of the girl behind the counter as she walked up to it. It was hard NOT to notice the girl. Heart shaped face, clear skin and large bright green eyes… framed by pink silky hair that cascaded down her back. The girl was an oddity and strangely beautiful. Ino wondered if her hair was natural.

"Thanks," Ino replied as her hands settled against the counter, directly across from the pinkette. "Um, I'm Ino. I was told to come down here... a man named Kiba sent me?" Ino ended the last part in a questioning tone, feeling a little ridiculous.

The pinkette looked considerably confused. "Kiba sent you?"

"Yeah. You know him?" Ino was feeling more awkward by the second.

"Unfortunately," the pinkette grumbled. "Give me a sec?"

Ino nodded and the pinkette pulled out her cell phone, her thumbs making quick work of dialing before pressing the phone to her ear.

Ino looked away to attempt to give the girl some privacy even as her ears strained harder to hear. The girl obviously wasn't expecting her… so why would Kiba send her here?

"Kiba!" the pinkette drawled out lazily after a few moments, her personality changing drastically from earlier. "There is a girl in the shop saying you sent her. Care to explain?"

There was a brief pause, then the pinkette continued. "Long blonde hair? Check. Blue eyes? Check."

There was another pause before the girl called out to Ino, peppy attitude back in place. "Hey, can you turn around for me?"

Ino jumped and quickly nodded, knowing she was caught ease dropping, and quickly turned.

"Killer ass? Check. I think it's your girl."

Ino whirled around, staring in shock at the girl, and blushed crimson. Killer ass? His girl? The pinkette just remained silent, nodding occasionally. Slowly an excited grin formed on the girls face as she eyed Ino up and down. "Will do, Kiba. Thanks a ton." With that, the girl ended the call and slid against the counter, grin still in place.

"So. Ino, was it?"

"Yeah," Ino replied, her awkward feeling skyrocketing.

"I'm Sakura. Kiba and I go way back. He tells me you are in need of a job."

Ino just agreed mutely, floored by the situation.

"Good. When can you start?"

* * *

Shikamaru wanted to bang his head into the wall. Choji had a job, Ino had a job… and he had nothing but sores on his feet and an increasingly bad mood. Because no job meant no cigarettes. He was dying.

The days had flown by, Shikamaru making a point to go out early and not return until late. His lack of a job wasn't for lack of trying…

It was now Saturday, the sun had set long ago and Shikamaru was draped across the metal railing outside the apartment door, basking in the moon light. Ino and Choji were gone, determined to get as many hours as they could before the school semester cut them back. They were both ecstatic about the jobs they had landed. Choji didn't say much, but the content was obvious on his face when he returned every night covered in grease. Ino rambled whenever she could about Sakura this and Sakura that, quickly making a friend out of one of her coworkers.

Both were also ecstatic about furnishing the apartment soon. When home, Choji mentioned plans about the kitchen and groceries while Ino thought out ideas for the living room. After all the pain and hard work it had taken them all to get to this point, the excitement of making the apartment their own was overwhelming.

But Shikamaru just felt like he was drowning. Because no matter the excitement and planning and effort… if Shikamaru couldn't find a job within the next 24 hours, their new life that they had worked so hard for would come crashing down around them. And it would be his fault.

Life really was troublesome.

* * *

**Ch. 2 = out! Slowly but surely getting out of the build up. Ch. 3 will focus on Shikamaru finding a job, of course. Then it will transition into the start of their college lives and the good stuff. The chapters from that point on will be considerably longer. :} ****If anybody is wondering about the dramatic past that Ino-Shika-Cho shares, I will be dropping hints here and there before the I drop the bomb shell. So, what are your thoughts? All opinions are important to me!**

**Shout out to leiaah! You were my first review! Thank you so much. I tend to get paranoid about my writing, because it isn't where I would like it to be, but I am hoping to improve. It means so much to me that you enjoy my writing and it inspires me to push myself harder. :} Also, Shikamaru x Shino is new to me as well. But once the idea popped into my head, I couldn't get rid of it. I am interested to see where I take that as well! xD As for Choji, I am deeply pleased you enjoy how I am attempting to portray him. I wanted him to be more relatable, so fingers crossed that I continue to do you proud!**


	4. Isn't It Enough To Just Go?

**Disclaimer: Naruto and characters were created and belong to Masashi Kishimoto. **

**Rating: M/R (Language, Themes, Violence)**

**Pairings: Ino x Kiba, Shikamaru x Shino, other minor pairings.**

* * *

Shikamaru trudged through the streets, his lead feet trying desperately to keep up with his racing mind. Applied, applied, applied, not hiring, applied, applied. His eyes scanned the vacant streets, rolling from shop to shop hoping that there was one he missed, one that would be his salvation, one that wouldn't make him a failure. No shop was left unturned. Shikamaru had roamed these streets every day for the past week and now… there was nowhere left to search, nowhere left to plead, nowhere left to hope. He had no call backs, no interviews, nothing. Nothing but a heavy heart and a pinched expression. His wit and skills had landed him their apartment and now his apparent lack in these things would cause them to lose it.

Rain clouds opened up above him. Fat rain drops landed upon his flesh, goose bumps rising as his usual dark set of clothing began to cling to his skin. Thunder rumbled in the distance and bright streaks of light pierced the night.

"Perfect," Shikamaru complained, his voice soft and lazy despite his mood, and he shoved his hands into his pockets. He was wet, he was tired and he was jobless. He had failed himself, and more importantly, he had failed his friends. They had yet to ask him how his job search was going, most likely because they had assumed he had nailed a job on the first day. If they could count on anything, in their minds it was Shikamaru. Always there, always had a plan, always saving the day. Shikamaru's genius just didn't fail any task… until now, when it mattered most. His thoughts swirled around him and he could feel the familiar set of depression and stress setting in. He didn't think he was strong enough to look his friends in the eye when he got home and tell them that after everything they had survived through, they would be right back where they started a week ago because of him, living in a car with nothing but dreams and the stench on their skin. Never had he wanted a cigarette so much in his life.

Already knowing that continuing his search was pointless when there was nowhere left to turn, Shikamaru began to drag himself towards home. His dirtied, soggy boots grew heavier and heavier with each step. Nothing weighed a man down more than the combination of wet clothes and plagued thoughts. Shikamaru continued warring with himself as the corners and street signs blurred by, wondering exactly how he was going to muster up the courage to see the disappointment in their eyes. He knew them well enough to know that they wouldn't voice anything, they would support him and keep an air of optimism, but their eyes… that was a different story. Eyes couldn't lie and eyes would be his downfall.

The walk home was entirely too short for his liking and before Shikamaru realized it, he was standing in front of his apartment complex. He stilled his feet and gazed through the dark, knowing his door was lurking somewhere in that general direction. Wind howled around the building and the complex's rustic wooden sign groaned in protest, the words _Luminosity Lodging _glinting as another streak of lightning powered through the sky.

Shikamaru felt numb. He wasn't sure if it was from the cold or just his defense mechanism breaking through the sorrows of his mind. He really hoped it was the cold. His past was behind him. All parts of his past, he wished. It wouldn't do well to have this as one of the many scars, both physical and mental, that were left behind.

Shikamaru shook himself to try to get feeling back into his limbs and began forward again, but as his foot connected with the staircase leading up to the third floor and his fate, he froze. There was a bright light blazing the window a few doors down. He hadn't noticed it earlier, but he knew immediately who it belonged to. Asuma Sarutobi, the apartment complex's manager. He was still in his office, probably working late. Shikamaru wondered if he should bother the man to deliver the news, anything to delay seeing those eyes, or wait and let him find out tomorrow.

Shikamaru sighed, his brain already knowing the answer. Anything but those eyes. Tonight it was, then. Shikamaru placed foot back upon the sodden ground and before his numbed body could disagree, he strode over to the office's door and used his cold fist to rap against it soundly.

"Come in," a gruff voice answered. Shikamaru opened the door and found Asuma hunched over his desk, a perfectly placed shogi board relocated and waiting under his hovering fingers for a game against himself. Shikamaru closed the door behind him, his hair and dark clothes dripping onto the clean floor, and when Asuma finally looked up his eyes widened comically. "What the hell happened to you, kid?"

Shikamaru tried to reply but no words came from his pale lips and haunted expression. Instead, he sat down directly across from Asuma, his wet clothes squeaking loudly against the chair. His eyes lingered on the black shogi pieces in front of him and his nightmare from the night before briefly came to mind, the corners of his eyes wrinkling with confusion and pain. Shikamaru had to mentally shake himself to get the images and screams to fade away. Once the nightmare had receded, he lifted a damp hand and moved a black piece gingerly across the board. Click. If Asuma was angry or confused, he didn't voice it and Shikamaru didn't look up. Asuma's eyes relaxed from their previously wide state and slowly leaned forward, moving a white piece of his own. Click.

Click, click, click. 10, 30, 40, the minutes ticked by as their game continued and as Shikamaru moved another piece into play, he finally spoke. "I couldn't get a job." Click.

Click. Asuma placed his piece down, remaining silent to let the statement settle in, although he was happy the youth had managed to start talking. He was beginning to get worried for the boy, both for his wet, depressed demeanor and what had put him in the state to begin with.

Shikamaru's piece clicked in response, words continuing to spill from him. "I'll tell Choji and Ino tonight."

Click. More silence.

Click. "We can be out by tomorrow."

Click. The silence continued.

Click. "I…I'm afraid to tell them. I don't want them to lose faith in this… in me." Weariness and exhaustion were evident in his tone and he was vaguely shocked he had said it at all. Something about the game, the man in front of him, put him at ease. The shogi pieces, the smell of smoke, spoke to something deep inside of him. It told him he was ok, he was accepted, he was safe. It made the walls built up around himself quiver and he had opened up, however small, without meaning to. The realization of this made Shikamaru both surprised and scared. He wanted to stay, he wanted to run… he definitely wanted to run.

Before he could will his legs to move, Asuma silently moved his piece into position. Click. He was continuing the game.

Shikamaru shook inside and out as he stared at the board, not moving, and Asuma continued to discreetly take in the man visually. Shikamaru's clothes had begun to dry but were now extremely damp instead of drenched, his entire body was tense and shaking, his face was hard, his eyes pained, and his breathing fast and shallow. To the naked eye, he just looked cold. But Asuma prided himself on being able to see underneath and knew Shikamaru really looked to be on the verge of a breakdown. Asuma sighed and not for the first time that night, began to doubt his silence. He had at first thought the young man just needed to talk uninterrupted, get things off his chest... but now Asuma was wondering if he should have spoken up and consoled the man. Shikamaru just reminded him so much of himself that he assumed he needed to vent like him, but maybe he made a mistake. He was just about to open his mouth and apologize when Shikamaru raised a shaking hand and moved his piece. Click.

Asuma inwardly smiled and felt a very small swell of pride for the man. Shikamaru was a lot of things, he had learned in their two meetings, but he wasn't weak. He didn't want to see strong people like him down so low. His father once said that every person had inside of them a will of fire that burned bright with the strength of themselves and those around them… and Shikamaru's fire was barely there. It had been trampled and smothered but was stull puffing with all of its might. He didn't want to see a fire like that go out so soon. It made Asuma's inward smile convert into a gentle outward one as a realization came to mind. Asuma knew what he was going to do. He was getting too soft. Asuma moved his piece and the game dragged on. Click.

Click.

Click.

Click.

Click.

Click.

The time crawled by as what started as minutes turned to hours. The storm outside raged against the office window. The watch on Asuma's wrist ticked, ticked, ticked and they both knew it was getting late and the game was drawing to a close with Shikamaru on the winning end.

Asuma moved his piece forward and spoke for the first time since their game started, his voice like gravel. Click. "I'm behind in paperwork."

Shikamaru gave a small visible jump at hearing Asuma's voice. He had grown accustomed to the man's silence the past two hours. "Ah," Shikamaru croaked in confusion, his piece moving in return. Click.

Click. "The mail keeps building up."

Click. "Ah," Shikamaru replied again, moving his piece slowly, not wanting the game to end. His confusion turned to indifferent resign. Shikamaru had spilt his troubles between them, it was only fair that Asuma do the same.

Click. "My phone continuously rings."

Click. "Ah."

Click. "Really, the damn thing doesn't shut up."

Click. "Ah."

Click. "I could really use an assistant."

Click. "Ah."

Click. "Someone who knows how to file mail and answer phones."

Click. "Ah."

Click. "Someone who wouldn't mind my smoking."

Click. "Ah."

Click. "Someone that would really appreciate the job."

Click. "Ah."

Click. "Someone who would play shogi with me during the downtime."

Shikamaru picked his piece up, the automatic reply sitting on his tongue, then promptly froze. His eyes darted up to meet Asuma's, their gaze locking over their almost completed game. Shikamaru searched the man's eyes, trying to find traces of humor or deceit or even just blank eyes staring back at him, anything to prove that Shikamaru had read the man's conversation wrong. He found none, only curiosity and something deeper he didn't want to read into. Unbelievable, Shikamaru thought. The man was offering him a job.

"Why?" Shikamaru asked, his voice quiet and face wary and shocked. His hand was still frozen and hovering over the board.

Asuma sighed and pulled a cigarette out of his forgotten pack, pausing to light it. Shikamaru eyed it enviously out his peripheral and Asuma chuckled before tossing an extra cigarette at him. Smoke poured from his mouth as he spoke. "Quit eye fucking them, kid. Just ask. As for why… I'm not sure myself."

Asuma lit the cigarette that was now perched on Shikamaru's lips and said nothing more. But Shikamaru understood. The man was extending a branch, trying to trust the youth before him. And even though Shikamaru was scared of the connection the two were forming, the trust the man was offering, Shikamaru's soul which was drowning beneath his stress, gripped that branch. Tightly and thankfully. Shikamaru's tense form relaxed slightly, nowhere near completely relaxed, as relief coursed through his veins.

"Well?" Asuma questioned gruffly as he inhaled, the tip of his cigarette glowing red.

A shaky breath, filled with smoke, escaped him. Shikamaru thumbed the shogi piece in his still hovering hand, lips quirking into a lazy half smile, and placed his piece onto the board. Click. "Ah."

* * *

When Shikamaru finally stumbled across the threshold of the shared apartment, it was well past midnight. His and Asuma's game had stretched out and consumed most of the night after their talk, the office filled with nothing but the rise and fall of shogi pieces while the hushed beginnings of understanding hung in the air. Shikamaru knew that he and the older man would be sharing many more games in the future and that he would have to strengthen his resolve to ensure no more slips happened. That man and the feelings that came with him were dangerous. He learned a long time ago that trust was naive. He could bring himself to trust the man with his present, but never his past and the turmoil that came with it. Slips were not an option.

Ino and Choji greeted him from their seated spots on the living room floor, Chinese takeout boxes spread out between them. Shikamaru was still damp and emotionally shaken from the long day but shrugged it off and sat beside them, helping himself to the box nearest to him and eating with relish. Shrimp fried rice. One of his favorites.

"We were beginning to worry about you," Ino said over a mouthful of chicken, her lips glistening with grease.

Shikamaru gave her an apologetic tap and replied. "What's on the agenda for tomorrow?" He knew, and they knew, that he was changing the subject. Now that the night was ending and Asuma had both saved and ruffled him, he didn't want to bring the topic up. They had already quietly assumed he had a job from the beginning. He didn't want to shatter that assumption with the reality that he had only managed to scrape by with minutes to spare. They could keep believing that he was their rock, keep relying on him, and keep having faith in him. He needed that. He had enough emotional trauma for one day, he needed the safety normalcy to quietly mend his erect inner walls.

Ino and Choji respected his wanted privacy and rolled with his subject change. "Orientation and registration," Choji stated.

Shikamaru nodded. "Any idea what you guys want to do?"

"Well, we have around a year's worth of pre-reqs to do first but… I think I want to try the culinary program after that." Choji said humbly, his cheeks tinting with pleasure at the idea.

Ino grinned happily as she licked the grease from her lips. "That's an amazing idea, Cho. You'd be fantastic! And let me just go ahead and call dibs on being your guinea pig. My taste buds are yours to deal with as you see fit. My mouth is practically watering just thinking about it!"

Choji laughed, deep and rich, tapping her box with the chopsticks nestled between his fingers. "And what about you, guinea pig?"

"Um," Ino began, looking pleased but slightly unsure. "I was thinking maybe majoring in Microbiology."

"Microbiology?" both boys inquired, utterly confused.

"Well, yeah," Ino blushed, becoming embarrassed. "You guys know how much I love science. I was reading through the science degrees and when I saw all the classes it required, especially the parasitology and labs, it just kind of clicked." Ino snapped her fingers to prove her point. "It just seemed right…" Ino trailed off, blush and smile evident.

The boys gave affirmative noises, settling back into their food. Shikamaru suddenly looked up at Ino. "You know," he started, "if you get to declare being guinea pig, I'm declaring that you can't bring your lab junk home. The last thing we need is an Ino-modified strain on E. coli running rampant through the place."

Ino chocked on the chicken in her mouth, his statement and her laughter taking her by surprise, and both boys chuckled as Choji clapped his hand on her back to ease her breathing.

"Asshole," Ino rasped, her mouth smiling even as her eyes were watering. "Deal."

When the trio settled back down, Choji directed the questioning back at Shikamaru. "So what's your plan?"

"Huh?" Shikamaru drawled.

"College. Your plan. What is it?" Choji explained.

"Oh. I'm not sure. Isn't it enough to just go?" Shikamaru joked. He honestly didn't know what he wanted to do with his life, career wise. He had spent the majority of his life and mind trying to keep the three of them alive. He didn't have the time back then to think about anything else but escaping, surviving, never looking back. And once they had escaped, his mind had been filled with apartments and jobs, certainly not what he was going to do with his life. His entire being was a center for just being alive, not doing something with it. He envied his friends for having passions they were born with, their career choices fitting in easily like a missing puzzle piece to their lives. The only real passions he had were shogi and nicotine and he doubted he could major in either of those.

"Not quite," Ino added around another mouthful. "The money we saved can only stretch so far. So far, being as in this semester only. Our jobs are literally going to be paying for our futures from next semester on. So, you know, it's a waste of money and effort to work and pay for classes you aren't going to need."

Rustling was heard, Shikamaru and Ino turning to see Choji flipping through a thick booklet. His brow was creased in concentration and when he found the page he was looking for, his tongue clucked happily. He pushed the booklet into Shikamaru's hands, making him almost drop his shrimp friend rice, and Choji tapped a large finger on the page. "All of their offered programs are listed in this. Maybe after orientation, you can browse around before registration starts."

Shikamaru's brows furrowed as he started reading through the indicated pages.

"Hmm," he hummed noncommittally, his eyes taking in the information at a skimming pace. "I'll check it out tomorrow."

He placed the booklet down and returned to his food, his friends following his example. The shrimp fried rice melted on his tongue. His stomach groaned in content but his mind groaned in frustration. He had escaped hell, gambled his way into an apartment, found a job at the cost of his inner safety, and now he had to figure out what he wanted to do with his life in a little less than twelve hours.

Great, Shikamaru thought, out of the frying pan and into the fire.

* * *

Ino wondered around the spectacular green campus, map in hand as she searched for the science building. Her butt was still numb from the countless hours she had spent in orientation. Orientation had ran long, a big breasted blonde woman by the name of Dean Tsunade droning on and on about rules, regulations, and expectations before finally ending the speech with a "Welcome to Konoha University, a place where great things are forged! Don't fuck it up!" Now she was using the break in between the orientation and registration by hunting down her building and getting feeling back into her blue jean clad thighs.

Ino still couldn't believe how vulgar the woman had been. It had floored Ino and she fell in love with the Dean on the spot. Ino already knew that she was going to enjoy 'forging great things' at K.U. She continued down the path, taking in the breathtaking view. Tall luscious trees stretched tall into the sky, flowers wrapping beautifully around their bases. The grass was perfect and short, littered with students scowling over textbooks while enjoying the warm air and summer sun.

The pebbled path beneath Ino's feet curved between two large brick buildings and Ino tapped her map in excitement, looking to her left to confirm that she did indeed find her target. _Science_ shown brilliantly in white from above the large glass double doors. Ino clutched her map tightly to her fitted blue t-shirt covered chest and pushed her way up the steps and into the building, eyes falling across the long white painted walls filled with cork boards and notes, open doors as far as her eyes could see.

Ino's excitement bubbled within her and she found herself roaming up and down the halls. She drank in the domed classrooms with their long tables extending back and up, the labs with their beakers and machinery, and every little posted piece of paper on the walls. She was entranced with posted article on gram-positive cocci when muffled voices from an open room down the hall caught her attention.

She grudgingly left the article, she found it extremely interesting, and followed the sound of voices, her map still clutched tightly to her chest.

"Excuse me?" Ino peered and slowly walked into the classroom as she spoke. "I was looking for the Director's office? For Microbio-"

Ino's sentence was cut off as she was tackled into the wall, her vision swimming with pink.

"Ino! Fancy seeing you here!" Sakura pulled back and grinned, her green sundress twirling around her.

"S-Sakura!" Ino exclaimed, her shock fading and returning her smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm Pre-Med, two buildings down. But I have to take A&P as a pre-req, so I was checking the classroom and ran into some old friends." Sakura jutted her thumb behind her to two girls, one a bunned brunette and the other with flowing dark hair. "You?"

"I was looking to speak with the Director. I'm hoping to major in Microbiology."

Sakura whistled. "Fancy stuff. I think I remember seeing a Director's office down the hall. But before you go, let me introduce you!" Sakura grabbed Ino by the elbow and dragged her over to the other girls and Ino took a chance to really look at them.

The brunette, hair piled into a high bun, wore tight leggings and a ripped white shirt, sports bra evident underneath. Her skin had a slight sweaty sheen to it and although she looked as though she had just arrived from the gym, she was beautiful with large brown eyes and clear skin.

The dark haired girl wore a modest lavender shirt that billowed around her frame and jeans that were both tight fitting and baggy at the same time, hugging her assets just right. Her pale eyes were captivating and pink cheeks endearing. She was the epitome of innocence and quiet charm.

"Ino, this is TenTen." Sakura stated, pointing to the brunette. "She is a Forensics major. And this," Sakura moved her finger to the dark haired girl, "is Hinata. She is going to be in Nursing."

"O-oh," Ino shyed before giving them a smile and a wave. "Hey. I'm Ino. Hopeful Microbiology major and coworker of the pinkster."

Sakura growled at the nickname as the girls returned her introduction with welcome.

"Oh, so you and Sakura know each other through work?" Tenten asked.

"Yep," Sakura interrupted, smirk playing across her features. "She's the newbie. Kiba got her the job."

Hinata's eyes rounded and her blush grew darker as she spoke in front of the new blonde. "Y-you know K-Kiba?"

"Only briefly," Ino smiled in embarrassment.

"He swept her off her feet," Sakura laughed in her friendly way, knowing the conversation was embarrassing Ino.

"Knocked!" Ino exclaimed, her blush rivalling Hinata's. "He knocked me off my feet. Nothing romantic, just physical!"

A moment stretched by as Ino's eyes widened in horror. Sakura and Tenten burst into laughter, their arms holding their sides, as Ino's and Hinata's blush intensified. "I didn't mean it like that!" Ino tried to explain, her head shaking her denial. "Really, nothing happened!"

"Relax, Ino," Sakura giggled. "We know what you mean."

Ino just smiled sheepishly, her face still red, and rubbed her neck in embarrassment.

"Man, I like this girl." Tenten grinned. "She's a riot."

Sakura nodded her agreement, her grin still wide, then snapped her fingers as a thought came to her. "Oh! Ino! We are getting together later at my place to watch some movies. You want to come?"

Ino's blush receded and she smiled kindly at Sakura. "I wouldn't want to impose on you guys."

"No imposition. Seriously. You should come." Tenten stated.

Hinata gave a gentle lift of her lips. "A-any f-friend of S-Sakura's is a f-friend of m-mine."

Ino looked at the three girls, expecting her answer, and she felt her smile turn into a grin to match her pink friend's. "Then I would love to."

"Great!" Sakura squealed and pulled out a sheet of paper before scribbling across it and handing it to Ino. "This is my address and my number. Be there at five?"

"Of course," Ino agreed. "Wouldn't miss it for the world." And she wouldn't. This was Ino's first time experiencing friendship with other girls and the fact that she was being offered to extend her friendship made her ecstatic. Shikamaru and Choji would always be her closest friends, her family, but she would be lying if she said she didn't crave female interaction. Ino pocketed the information and said her good byes to the girls, promising to see them later, and then left to search down the Director's office.

Ino stumbled across it easily enough, the office just being a few doors down from where she had seen Sakura, and she gently knocked on the door.

"Yes?" a small voice called from within. Ino took that as an ok to entire and swung the door open, her eyes falling on a skinny dirty blonde in wired glasses.

"Hi. I'm looking for the Director for Microbiology?" Ino said to the woman, her sentence ending with a questioning lilt.

"That would be me. My name is Shiho. How can I help you, Miss…?" The director inquired, fishing for a name.

"Oh! Ah, I'm Ino. I was hoping to get your advice. I want to major in Microbiology."

The woman, Shiho, pushed her glasses up her nose, the lenses glinting in the light, and beamed up at Ino from her desk. Her excitement poured from her and she stood up and waved Ino into her office hurriedly. "Please, please, come in! Have a seat! It's always a pleasure to see a student who wants to pursue a degree in science."

Ino nodded eagerly and sat down opposite from the director, her own excitement building in her stomach as she gushed. "Thanks so much for seeing me. I honestly can't wait to begin. I feel like my life is just starting."

"Oh, your life hasn't started until you have seen a rare sample of Bombay disease or seen the beauty of a perfectly streaked agar." Shiho laughed, her eyes drawing Ino in. "But don't worry. You will. Then you will know what it truly means to be alive."

* * *

Choji had found the culinary department easily enough, just following the smells around campus until he was face to face with the building. The teachers and students were outside, some cooking from a large grill while others handed out pamphlets. Choji blended himself into the crowd milling around the building, being sure to grab an information pamphlet before getting into a line formed around the grill. Choji's stomach gurgled in hunger at the delicious smells wafting around him.

He read through his pamphlet as his line moved forward one step at a time and he knew he had made the right decision in this program. Every line on the coated pages just sang to him. He was so engrossed in the information and his thoughts that he didn't even notice the line had inched forward enough that it was now his turn.

"Oi, kid," an older man whistled in amusement, grabbing Choji's attention. Choji glanced up to see an older man bent over the grill, his back facing towards him. "What'll it be?"

"Oh, sorry," Choji intoned. "What do you have?"

"Burgers, dogs, and ribs."

"Then I'll have a burger, please." Choji said politely. The older man grunted in confirmation, his hands working at an expert pace, pulling together a beautiful looking hamburger within seconds. The man finally turned to face Choji, burger plated and in his hands, his face gentle and sweaty from the heat. His head was wrapped in a bandana and black sun glasses adorned his face. As the man's gaze lifted from the plated burger to Choji to hand him his food, he froze. He stared intently at Choji, long enough to make the younger extremely uncomfortable, before the man's shoulders started shaking in mirth. "Damn, kid, that is one hell of a face you got there."

"Excuse me?" Choji called out, both confused and irritated. He just wanted food, not criticism for his looks. "Can I have my food please?"

"Yeah, sorry about that." The man said, continuing to laugh as he explained. "It's just that you have an uncanny resemblance to that Master Chef guy, you know?"

"No, not really." Choji grumbled, taking his plate from the man. As soon as the plate left the man's fingertips, Choji turned and walked away, shoving the conversation from his mind as he shoved his nourishment into his mouth.

Choji had to hand it to him. The man may be forward and somewhat rude, but he could make one hell of a burger. Absolute deliciousness.

* * *

"Well I'll be damned," Shikamaru laughed to himself.

He was hardly ever wrong. But on the rare chances that he was, he was willing to admit it. And right now, he was wrong. When he had thought the night before that a degree involving shogi was impossible, he had been incorrect. Because now, as he stood living and breathing, he was staring across the campus lawn at a large pitched open tent, tables filled with informational folders. And right there, smack dab in the middle of the tent, sat a table with a shogi board on it. Shikamaru didn't believe in God, in religion, in spirituality… but he believed in signs.

Still laughing to himself, Shikamaru lazily strolled into his tent turned sign and began browsing around, picking up a folder to flip through. The front was shiny and expensive, the words _Defense and Strategic_ _Studies_ staring proudly back at him.

"Strategics, huh?" Shikamaru asked himself quietly. "Makes sense."

He folded the folder beneath his arm and turned to look at the other tables but was surprised to find himself face to face with a tall young man about his age, his natural grin looking more like an accidental leer. His dark hair was disheveled and his lips curled around his teeth predatorily, but his eyes held innocence and genuine eagerness. Shikamaru wondered if the man knew he accidentally came off sleazy.

"Hey, man. You're interested in the program?" the man inquired, his eager eyes locking onto Shikamaru's.

Shikamaru gave a lazy smirk and nodded, Ino's comment from the night before coming to mind. "Yeah. I saw the shogi board and it just clicked."

The man laughed heartily and shook his head. "The director would love to hear that. He has an unhealthy obsession with that game." He tapped the board as he replied, the pieces shaking gently. He then rounded back on Shikamaru, his accidental leer back in place. "Care for a tour of the building?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "Sure, why not."

The man jutted his thick hand at Shikamaru, offering introduction. "The name's Kankuro, by the way. Kankuro Sabaku. I'm the Director's student assistant."

Shikamaru took Kankuro's hand in his own, giving it a sluggish but firm shake. "I'm Shikamaru. Shikamaru Yugakure."

* * *

**Alright, Ch. 3 is done! Now that everything is rolling, it's much easier to power out the story and from here on out I will be making an effort to make each chapter at least 10K in length. Although I am worried that I bit off more than I could chew for my first story. I am continuously stressing that I am switching between characters too much or too little. What's your opinion? I am interested to know what you guys think. ****Also, what did you think about the little hints I dropped? Were you shocked?! Are you extremely curious?! :}**

**And, special shout out to fast track! Thank you so much for the review. I am very excited with where this plot is going to go and I am glad that you are enjoying it.**

**NOTE: I have two other stories forming in my brain for anybody that's interested. One will be another Naruto fic and the other will be a Justice League fic. Hopefully I will have a beginning posted for both before the week is over. **


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